I wouldn't necessarily call it a total flop, but "The Scarlet Pimpernel." It was a flop in that it didn't make any money and kept going through all sorts of changes. It wasn't super long running, but it did have a respectable run. Still, that's one show I've always wished I could see. The cast recording is probably my favourite CD other than... well, any of my three Les Miserables recordings.
Wouldn't mind seeing "Woman In White" again with different staging. I feel that was one of its weakest points. The lyrics could use some serious tweaking, too.
In my pants, she has burst like the music of angels, the light of the sun! --Marius Pantsmercy
Schmerg_The_Impaler, were practically the same person.
Woman in White could really use atleast a tour. I wish it was possible, but oh well . I liked the set, and the lyrics seemed to flow well-enough. It wouldn't kill to go back to the actual novel to get some more of the story and get rid of Counte Fosco being a ginormous part of the story (he somewhat is, but I felt that ALW & Company overdid that role).
I'd love to see Jekyll & HYDE in ANOTHER 'another version.'
Schmerg_The_Impaler, I'm suprised you (and many on this board) always say they'd love a Pimpernel revival. Unfortunately, the show was incredibly boring at some points (had it's moments though) and the only true parts I'd describe as great were the songs themselves. SP1 I'm sure is the recording you're talking about, and that (despite that spectacular SINGING cast (Where's SporkGoddess by now!)) is the most boring of them all. Believe it or not, lots of dialogue doesn't work for some shows and that is the case with Pimpy. Terrence Mann looked incredibly bored out of his mind (even look at the reviews) and showed so little emotion as to say "oh god when's the show over." None-the-less, he's the best singing Chauvelin, along with William Michals (now in South Pacific). LOL And Pimpy did NOT have a respectable run in my eyes. It didn't flop once, it didn't flop twice, it floped THREE times in TWO years. THat's NOT a good track record!!
DRS was a finicial flop that eventually paid back.
Jekyll (also a money flop), The Scarlet Pimpernel (in another version of the show), The Civil War (Frank Wildhorn's shortest running show) all had tours and all flopped as well. Some flops get tours because they think they'll get some money that way (if they're close like Jekyll and DRS were, they can sometimes recoup such as the original Sweeney Todd to add to that list).
Philly-- I agree that the book for SP1 was boring, and I know Terrence Mann didn't do great in the role (I think he's one of those guys who does really well at the beginning of a run and then gets quickly tired of the show and starts forgetting that most people are seeing him for the first time), but I have the libretto for what I believe may have been SP3 (possibly SP4) and I think it's absolutely hilarious. I've also seen some school productions that really worked, and I feel like I'd be privileged to watch any great stage actor take on the role of Percy, because that's a part with such an emotional range and such a freedom for improvisation.
The real reason why the recording is my favourite is that the styles of music are so varied-- Madame Guillotine, Into The Fire, Prayer, Falcon In The Dive, She Was There, The Riddle, and You Are My Home are so different musically. You can't necessarily hear an SP song and think, "Ah! Sounds like Scarlet Pimpernel!"
In my pants, she has burst like the music of angels, the light of the sun! --Marius Pantsmercy
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
"Sunset Blvd" because I love the cast recording and missed it on Broadway and tour because I was not yet a fan.
"The Woman in White," but a stripped down version that consists of the songs and hardly any of the speaking-to-a-melody. Also, I'd like to see actual sets.
"Tarzan," just because I think it can be a fantastic show if only they had a different book and a lot less green.
Oh, and is it too early to ask for a revival of "The Little Mermaid" with the same book and music and cast but completely different sets, costumes, direction and choreography?
Schmerg_The_Impaler, I'm still waiting for a hopeful all-out studio recording of Pimpy, but until that day comes, SP1 is the album to certainly go with.
Rex Smith was awful as Chauvelin, atleast on recording. He just sounds fake. Rachel York was nice, but I liked Andreas better. Also, the SP2 album is just bits and pieces, bits and pieces, bits and pieces. Why would Frank even release a recording like that with only one new song/3 newly recorded. He should have made Rex not sing either WtG? or FitD and sing Madame Guillotine instead. Oh well!